CampseyJames Campsey A farmer by occupation, James Campsey emigrated to the United States, accompanied by his wife Elizabeth, and two sons, William and John. For a few years, or until 1 May 1801, they lived east of the mountains (Edgemont Township, Delaware County) and then proceeded westware to Washington County, Pennsylvania, making a settlement about two miles south of Claysville, being at the time an unbroken and sparsely settled wilderness. When they arrived, the neighbors formed a 'bee' and built them a log cabin, the foundation of which was four stumps, one for each corner, but one day being occupied in its erection. -- Page 362 of Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). James Campsey was a farmer, who came from the north of Ireland in 1794, and first located in the East. From there he came to Washington County, arriving here May 1, 1801. He purchased one hundred and thirty acres of land in Donegal township and built him a cabin after the fashion of those days. He reared a family of five children,--four sons and one daughter,--all of whom are dead save the two youngest, James Campsey and Mrs. Rebecca Connaughey. The nearest neighbors to the cabin home of James Campsey were the Bonar and Roney families, and that of James Hutchinson. The Roney descendants now live in East Finley township. Before Mr. Campsey's arrival. the Roneys had erected a fort as a place of refuge in times of danger, which was located on Hercules Roney's farm. Another fort was built on the farm now belonging to T. C. Noble, near Claysville. North of the site of Claysville was the renowned Rice's Fort, built by Daniel Rice, who owned the farm upon which it was built. Northeast of that was the property of Robert Walker, who also built a block-house; and not far west of Claysville was still another block-house, built and owned by Thomas Wallower. Notwithstanding Robert Walker had built a place of safety upon his own farm, the Indians captured his wife and took her down the Wheeling Creek trail, but she escaped and returned home. Thomas Stokely took up and received a patent for a tract of land containing three hundred and fifty-two acres, on the head-waters of Buffalo Creek, in Donegal township, which was called "Stockdale." This property still remains in its original shape (save improvements that have been made upon it), and has never changed hands but once, when James Campsey, Sr., its present owner, purchased it of the Stokely heirs. James Campsey, Sr., is the son of the subject of the beginning of this sketch, and is now in his seventy-ninth year. He has a property of one hundred thousand dollars made by farming. He has a fine home in Claysville, and, having placed his splendid farm in the care of his son, James Campsey, Jr., is enjoying the evening of his life in the midst of plenty, and surrounded by his family and numerous friends. Donegal Twp. (pp. 742-764) History of Washington County, Pennsylvania Joseph Campsey Joseph died 20 February 1856 and is buried at the Deerfield Cemetery, Morgan County, Ohio. See his will. Joseph Campsey Like many frontier widowers, Joseph soon
took another wife, marrying Margaret Susan Newland on 8 July 1869. Leaving Iowa in 1869, Joseph began his trek
of finding a suitable place to raise his children. For a period of time, he
and Merry tried farming in Missouri and the southeastern part of Kansas.
During the early 1880's, they migrated further south through Arkansas and the
Indian Territories until they finally settled in the north-central section
Jack County, Texas (near present day Post Oak). Here, Joseph and Merry raised
the five children from his first marriage and six more of their own. This part of Texas was still a fairly wild
frontier. Indian raids (though much less violent than previously) were still
an event to be aware. Fort Richardson provided some protection against these
raids (which were predominately raids to steal horses and cattle). The
weather also played a part in the life of Joseph. Not only were tornadoes a
problem, the lack of rain could be devastating for farmers. 1887 was a particularly
horrible year in Jack County mainly because of the drought conditions. Joseph
and his family were among many who received flour and meal to help his family
through the summer.
Joseph died on 14 June 1891. His original burial site was Degress Cemetery, Jack County Texas. This cemetery is believed to be on the ranch that he worked for many years. His remains were relocated to Post Oak Cemetery (Jack County) in 1991. In Jacksboro, Texas, the Hess Funeral Home records indicate a coffin was purchased by George Frivler for Joseph McKempsey (sic) at a cost of $35.00. The size of the coffin was 6 foot 3 inches and it was the more expensive coffin. Arthur Lee
'Dick' Campsey When he tired of cattle driving, he tried his
luck at lead mining near Denver, Colorado, and later in King and Knox
Counties in Texas. After having his adventures and feeling a desire to come
home, Dick returned to Jack County in 1893 and married Miss Valleria Burchel
on 18 July, (see Burchel). In 1899 they moved to
Post Oak, Texas, where they spent most of their married life. Arthur and
Valeria produced 13 children of which nine survived to adulthood. The area of the county where Valera and Arthur lived was called Puddin' Valley. This valley is about 2 miles long and 1 mile wide and is mainly covered in brush oaks and mesquites. The following story by Jack T. Williamson gives us one reason the valley got its name. "Although cotton was the main crop grown in the valley for many years, Puddin' Valley derived its name from grain harvesting. In the days of grain threshers, harvest time was a sort of festive occasion eagerly anticipated by the whole family. It was a time of fellowship for all as the men got together for the work, the women got together to prepare the meals, and the youngsters looked upon it all as a time for fun. Bread pudding was served to the harvest crew at each home in the valley one year and from this coincidence the name Puddin' Valley was born." (from The History of Jack County, Texas) The following is taken from From "The History of Jack County Texas". Although it reports that Arthur was born in Illinois, he was actually born in Kansas. "Arthur Lee (Dick) Campsey was born 1870 in Illinois. He came to Jack County with his parents, Joseph and Susan Newland Campsey about 1875. They migrated originally from Illinois and Iowa through Missouri, the Eastern Indian Territory and Kansas by wagon, settling in the old De Greese Community near the Trinity River in Jack County. Uncle Dick was the eldest child of the second set of children: Ollie, Chap, Edd, Daisy and John. The first set included: Grundy, Cory, Ella and Will. Valleria Francis Burchel was born in Denton County, Texas, in 1874. Her father, L.B. Burchel, owned land where the city of Denton now stands. The Burchel family moved to Jack County about I878, settling near Bear Creek and later of Post Oak where he operated a dray business, hauling freight from the railroad in Sherman to Fort Sill, Oklahoma and Fort Richardson in Jacksboro. Dick and Valleria Burchel were married 1893 at Bear Hollow near old De Greese, moving later to the Old Burchel farm south of Post Oak. They bought a farm later in Puddin Valley about 1908 where they lived until their house burned in 1944. Thirteen children were horn but three died in infancy, the others follow: Lucy Rebecca, 1894; Arthur Dee, 1895; Samuel Shannon, 1897; Maggie Lee, 1904; Beulah, 1907; Rachel, 1910; Ira Aston, 1914; Rubin Harry, 1917; and Mildred 1920; also Lon 1898. There were forty one grandchildren, sixty-nine great grandchildren and almost eighty great great grandchildren at this writing (1984). Dick Campsey loved his farm stock and enjoyed plowing the soil. His health declined rapidly after the home burned and he died in a daughter's home in Jacksboro 1946, was buried in Post Oak Cemetery. Valleria Campsey (Aunt Bee)
kept busy cooking, washing and sewing for her family. Mildred recalls sitting
at the stove on the wood box while Mother cooked meals and taught her the
ABCs and multiplication tables through the 12s before she could go to school.
In her later years she enjoyed doing embroidery and piecing quilts for her
children. She died following a stroke (1963) while living with Lucy in Hurst,
Texas, but was returned to her home and buried beside Uncle Dick and their
three infant children in Post Oak Cemetery. The Campseys gather about one hundred relatives and friends every August for a gala reunion in Jacksboro. by Elloise Campsey" Dick still lived in a rugged and rural area
of Texas, even in 1920. He, his sons, and his future son-in-laws played key
roles in helping the community eliminate a rabid
wolf. One evening in 1944, Dick and Valeria woke
to the sights and sounds of a fire. The house they had called home for 50
years was ablaze. They managed to escape with only the nightclothes on their
back. The next morning, a neighbor noticed the smoke but by the time help had
arrived, the entire house was completely destroyed. Several months after the loss of their home
Uncle Dick's health required that he retire. He then lived for a while with
his son Lon Campsey. He died in his sleep at 2 o'clock in the morning on
March 7th, 1945 and is buried, along with his wife, in the Post Oak Cemetery
in Jack County, Texas. Beulah Mae
Campsey Beulah was widely known for her bantam
chickens. Many family stories have a central theme of Grandma and her
chickens. She worked much of her adult life in the
shoe factory in Gainesville, Texas. Many of her fellow workers became life
long friends and, for years, they would play cards and go to church with each
other. Maybe because her first husband drank,
Beulah would never drink alcohol. But you could be sure that she would never
be far from her Coca-Cola! After divorcing Frank, Beulah eventually
married Marvin D. Lewter and lived in
Gainesville, Texas, until Marvin's death. Then, she moved to live near her
son and granddaughter at Lake Amon G. Carter in Jack County. She died
peacefully, aged just short of her 80th birthday on 15 August 1987. She is
buried at the Hope Cemetery, Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas, next to
Marvin. Here are some stories about this remarkable woman: "There are many little things that I remember about Grandma Scarber but one comes to mind readily. She gave my sister Sharon and I a bantam rooster one time. It turned out to be a hen. But, oh that was a fightin' chicken! She whipped up on us so bad that Dad finally took her to some friends of ours that lived in the country and had other chickens. The man told us later that he didn't think she was ever gonna have chicks 'cause she whipped the roosters every time they came around her. We told Grandma about it later and she 'bout busted a gut laughing because of the mistake about gender and then she wanted to know if we could get one of the chicks for her to add the 'fightin' blood' back to her chickens." Grandson Gary Scarber "I remember one summer
when Yvonne & Judy & I were at Grandma's. She always had chickens and
of course, a rooster. I told Yvonne & Judy, when they asked why the 'big'
chicken always got on top of the smaller ones, that he was fighting them and
when he did that just hit him with a rock or chinaberry and he would leave
them alone. Well, of course they got busy with rocks and china berries and
Grandma caught them, she was getting ready to really give them a paddling
when Yvonne squealed on me. I hid out but got hungry and came to the house
finally. I didn't get a paddling. I got one of Grandma's 'Whippings'. The
girls had done such a good job on that old rooster that he ran every time the
hens started toward him. You know what? Well, he sure did taste good with
dressing. "I don't remember how old I was but I think I was around 5 or 6. I was at Grandmas house with Diricia for a visit and the neighborhood kids were picking on me because of all of my freckles imagine that. I can remember running into the house crying because of the mean things they said and Grandma telling me that they were just jealous of me. When I asked why she replied because everywhere you have a freckle is where an angel kissed you. Man did the angels ever love me!! Never again did I cry over being called a freckle face." Granddaughter Leiellen Goehring Williams |